In the last two weeks of April 2009, Robert hosted a Hint Fiction Contest at his blog. Writers could submit two stories each. They could be either original or reprints. Over 200 entries were received, all of which were read blindly. Robert and author Gay Degani narrowed those 200 entries to just 20. Those were sent to best-selling author Stewart O’Nan, who had kindly agreed to act as the final judge. Below are his picks for the three winners and three honorable mentions, as well as the rest of the finalists who appeared in the eventual anthology published by W. W. Norton & Company.